Merry Christmas, All Year Long

Merry Christmas, maybe a day or two late. I hope that everyone has enjoyed this holiday season as much as my family and I have. I really enjoy all of the things that come with the Christmas season...the music, the happiness that it brings to so many people, opportunities to spend time with people I love, and with so many people talking about the reason we celebrate Christmas, the birth of Christ. While thinking about Christmas, it actually reminded me of spending time at Camp Deer Run. I love the singing at Camp, I am always happy when I am inside the gates of Camp, I love the people I am around while there. And most importantly, I love that the focus of Camp is telling Christ's message to the kids who are there. Which led me to think of something that may be a challenge for many people, me included. Its easy to keep our focus on Christ during the Christmas season, because we are constantly thinking that "Jesus is the reason for the season". Or we are seeing nativity scenes in every yard. Just like it is so easy to be burning for Christ when we are at Camp. The challenge is to have that same focus about Christ and the things He does in our lives throughout the entire year. We need to make sure that we are sharing the story of Christ in April and May, just like we do during December. Jesus isn't just the reason for the season, He is the reason we have a hope of an eternal life in Heaven. And because of this hope, we are expected to live our lives in a way that reflects Christ. As we start a new year in a few days, make it a priority to live every day in a way that reflects Christ for others to see, so that they are thinking about God's gift to us in more ways than just as a holiday in December. Have a great finish to 2010 and a wonderful start to 2011.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky